Scent disseminator



SCENT DISSEMINATOR INVENToR. HAROLD C. 5mn-H WOM 2 Get. 14, 1952 H. c. SMITH 2,613,989

scENT DIssEMINAToR Filed Jan. 22, 1948 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 fig 5 [47 INVEN TOR. HAROLD c. 5mn-H orney Patented Oct. 14, 1 952 SCENT DISSEMINATOR Harold C. Smith, Minneapolis, Minn., assigner to H. V. Smith, St. Paul, Minn., doing business as H. V. Smith Company .y Application January 22,1948, serialNe.3,672 "s Claims. (C1. 999-29) to a scent disseminator I My invention relates employed for deodorant purposes, and has for its object to provide a mechanism which can be secured to a wall portion, door or window molding or the like in bathrooms, kitchens and other places where it is desired to overcome the unpleasant effect of bad odors.

Many devices have been developed to be used for this purpose, but such devices have generally been made to act by means of the application of heat oriof mechanical disseminating means.

I have discovered a way of accomplishing the desired result through simple absorption, which is effective for the purpose, Will maintain a sufficient degree of dissemination of a selected scent andv which requires no application of heat or use of mechanical means.

To accomplish this result I employ an evaporator of highly absorbent material, such as a block of balsa wood, which is iirst saturated with a liquid scent. Operatively associated therewith I Vprovide means including air-circulating means to convey the scent continually tothe body of the block, and from the surface of the block to cause evaporation at a rate which is controlled by the rate of delivery of the liquid scent to the` block.

Aneflective means of accomplishing this consists in formingl a chamber down the center of the block, in positioning therein a bottle of scent with anopen top, in lmounting a cord in close contact with portions. of the body of the block inside its outer surfaces and in having said cord dropped into the liquid within theopen topped bottle. The cord .transfers the liquid scent by capillary action to the body of the block and thence toits outside wall surfaces, whereit accumulates as a thin, moist nlm. Contact of air currents about the block will evaporate the liquid from the surfaces of the block and convey it into the room-where the device is positioned.

-To provide the means for effecting" air currents,

Iform a casing having a chamber adapted to hold v rangement the -Warm'er air ofthe room will flow-.I into the chamber through the openings along the Y bottom oi the casing or at the bottom of the vertical side walls of the chamber. Evaporation will cool thisair, which will tend to sink within the outer'wall of the'casing.

l"-It -is va vprincipal objectof my invention, there- 2 fore, to provide a disseminator of perfume or scent wherein there is an evaporator positioned'in a chamber to which evaporator the scent is'conveyed. A further object of my invention is to the evaporator of some material capable of a high degree of absorption of the liquid scent and4 to preliminar-ily saturate it with the liquid scent. A further object of my invention iste-hold the evaporator in a chamber closed exceptA for open-v, ings so arranged as to effect a circulationof air. over the walls of the evaporatorl brought about by the cooling effect of evaporation.r

Itis a further object of my invention to use4 for the block of absorptive material a block shaped rectangularly in its cross-section dimensions formed of balsa wood, to position within a chamber in said block a bottle ofy liquid scent or perfume and to provide wicking means imbedded in the body of the block of balsa wood which extends into the liquid scent for transferring the.

same to th-e block by capillary action.

`It is ayfurther object of my invention to have.

a plurality of such wicking means imbedded in the block so that one or more of-them can be* carried into the container of scent and thus the rate oicapillary transfer, of eva-poration and of. dissemination of the scent may be regulated to;r the requirements of the place where the evaporator is used.

The details of my invention and its full objects; and advantages will be more specically pointed Fig. 1 is a perspective view of an evaporator block for putting into effect my invention.

Fig. 2 is a top plan View of the block.

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view taken on" line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a similar sectional view showing the' bottle of incense liquid in position within the block. r

Fig. 5 isa top plan view of a container adapted* to removably hold the block ina vertical posi" tion within the chamber provided by the \con, tainer. Y Fig. 6 is a sectional side limits of the block. f

--Fig 7v is a" transverse sectional view taken onf line 'i-i of Figs. 5 and 6.

.fA preferred .'.formot evaporator wll'gcomprise form elevation view show-` ing the block in position taken .from outside the a block of balsa wood indicated generally by the numeral I 0. This block will preferably be rectangular in its different cross sections. As shown in Figs. 2 and 7, it will have side walls II, I2, I3 and I4, a closed bottom wall I5 and a top wall lr6.

Through the top wall I6 and into the body of the block. I is formed a cylindrical open-topped chamber I'I,' which has a bottomwa-ll I8 at a point somewhat removed from the bottom wall I of the block, as clearly shown in Figs. 3 and 4. The block may have one or more of its side walls,`

or all of them, formed with a kerf or cutiin thef form of a slot, such as slot I9 illustrated in Figs. 3 and 4, and other slots such'as slots `A21)," illusftrated in Fig. l. These slots will preferably b'e cut entirely through into the chamber I'I, leaving a small body of Wood as indicatedi'at2l-'inFlgs l,V 3f

and 4, but a portion of the slot at the top may preferably be cut all the way through as indicated at 22. in Fig. 3.

The chamber Il"isof asize to receive a two ounce bottle'2'3, with an open top 24-whiclr will contain liquid scent or perfume indicated by lining at 25 of sectional Fig. 4. A convenient container for most uses would be a standard two ounce bottle, but other sizes either larger orV Arcotton cord or string 29'of lcommon construc-l tion;l prefrablymadeup of a multiplicity of individuallongitudinal strands, has a portion imbedded in the kerfr I9. This string extends out ofthe ikerf I9 and is curvedv at 38 down into the chamber I'I, and has a portion 37| extending into and to thefbottom of the liquid scent 25 in container 23. The string '-29, in its loose condition, is ofgreater diameter than thewidth of thekerf I9`l so it is in' intimate contact with the body of the block II! where it is imbedded in the kerf I9.

The liquid scent travelsf by'capillary action along string 29 and transfers by capillary action to the-block `I 9i." The block- I9'has beensoaked in theA liquid scent until it is entirely saturated before being used in the scent dispenser, whence the liquid which travels along the string and to the walls of' kerf I9 travels by capillary action throughout' the blockllll and appears on the side' surfaces II. I2, I3 and I4 fromwh'ich it is evaporatedi A second string 32' maybe Aimbedded in kerf 20' and be curved over at 33 and dipinto the liquid scent 2 5Y as indicated in Figs.12 and'4.

Indeed', there may beother slots iin the other side walls andstill more of strings extendingiinto the liquid container, .according to the vamount of liquid scent evaporation that is called for` in the: particular yplace -wherev the device is used'.

In practice,rv there will be a multiplicityv of.

strings, two, or possibly more, when the device is employed say in largerest-rooms. In residences.

however, Where-the rooms, such as` kitchens and 1 bathrooms, are relatively small, experience Vshows that only one string dipping into the body of perfume Willbe necessary.

As heretofore. ,pointed out', means are provided 4 other suitable fastening means to a room wall or casing member. This base plate is formed with a ange 36 extending at right angles to the main body of the base plate. Extending outwardly from the flange 36 is a part 3l which is provided with a slot member 38.

A cover member 39. of the form in plan shown iii-Fig. 5, and Yoflongitudinal and transverse rectangular cross section, shown inFigs; Gand 7, has a top wall portion 40, side wall portions 4I and 42; bottom end portion 43 and top end portion 44. The bottom end portion 43 is provided with a lip 45 which is adapted to be extended through the slot opening 38 vand project under the member 3l; asshown in Fig.VA 6.

The upper'wall 44`is provided with a small lip extension-4'I'whichtakes against and inside of a flange 48 on the base plate 34. A pin 49 extending through openings in the lip member 4l and the ange 48 holds the cover member 39 in position on the-plate 34 but is readily removableitherefrom.' which removably' holds the cover ontthe.

base plate asl clearly shown in Fig; 6'.

The flange `48 .isan upper part of a continuous` iiange which has side parts 50 and 5I and 'abuttom part. 52. When the cover 39 is inl position on` base plate 34, it provides a chamber4 53 in which is positioned the.block I0, asshown in Figs. 6 andl'l.

Theblock rests with. its lbottom wall I5 in contact with the upper surfaceof the'right angled extension 38. A'. pointed pin 55 is forcedinto the body of the woodv of thezblock. as indicated in the side flanges 50 and 5I, Fig. 7. This and the.' fact that the planes of the facingedges of the' base flanges 50 and 5I and of the, side walls4 I -and 42 arev spaced apart, provide side.- openings58 and. 58 leading into chamber 53.

Alongthecenter of the cover 39iare ay series'of longitudinal slots 60, 6I and 62. These slotsare positioned toward the bottom ofthe cover mem-- ber 39 as clearly shown in Fig. 5. From this arrangementit will be seen that'a circulation of air will be set upin the chamber 53, thewarmer room,A

air` entering through openings'58 -and 59 andcving to the side walls I2, I3 and I4, lwhere erano-- ration will cool the air, causing., it to fall in cham-f ber 53 and to push out. through slots 60, 6I and 62.

The capillary cord. extending into the con-- tainer 23 has the effect, of course, or removing. the. liquid scent therefrom. In practice one cord willv ordinarily remove the contentsl of the container.l provided it is -a normal two ounce bottle, in aboutthree-weeksf at which ytime the' container. must be refilled. Ifv more :cords-areemployed, the yremovalof liquid scent will be correspondingly increased. and. refillingy will have to. be done. more frequently.

In practice, I havev found vthat balsawoodis a. preferred medium for use asV an evaporator. It-

not'onlywill absorb a'large content ofy any liquid such as Aliquid scent, butlit hasthe characteristicv of readily transfering, from within its-body'by capillary action. the liquid scent to its'outer exposed surfaces. It followsV that there isacon.-

tinual action to produce a very thin film of. the.

liquid scent on the outer surfaces of the block, which film-.is continuously. renewed by capillary transfer of the liquid scent from the container in a chamber within the block and which in turn is transferred by capillary action continuously to renew the lm of the liquid scent.

This action, taken in conjunction with the gravity-induced currents of air about and over the surfaces carrying this film of liquid scent, produces ready evaporation, which in turn, by cooling the air adjacent these surfaces, produces the necessary circulation to cause the scent to be transmitted into the space which it is desired to have protected from bad odor.

- The above constitutes the primary and principal advantages of my invention. Other advantages are the cheapness of construction, the simplicity of operation and the fact that there is nothing which can at any time get out of order, and the further fact that by increasing or de-l creasing the number of cords in the container of scent the rate of evaporation and the consequent degree of impregnation of the air with the scent may be effectively regulated.

I claim:

1. A scent disseminator, comprising a block of balsa wood having exterior walls which comprise an extended area of evaporation surfaces, an open-topped chamber in the block, an opentopped vial adapted to contain scent, said vial being removably mounted entirely within and below the upper end of said chamber, a wick extending through the liquid scent in said vial and l out of the open top thereof and having a part extending downwardly alongside the block of balsa wood and being embedded in the wall of said block at a distance from the surface of said wall, and means for supporting the block upon a room wall, whereby capillary action will carry the liquid scent into the body of the block and the external surface of said body will provide evaporation of the scent.

2. A scent disseminator, comprising a block of balsa wood having exterior walls which comprise an extended area of evaporation surfaces, an

open-topped chamber in the block, an opentopped vial adapted to contain scent, said vial being removably mounted entirely within and below the upper end of said chamber, a slot-like longitudinal kerf extending through one of said surfaces into the body of the block to a depth approaching the inner wall of the chamber, a continuous wicking extending through the liquid scent in said vial out of the open top thereof and having a part removably held within the kerf, the width of the kerf and the diameter of the wicking being such that the wicking is pinched between to firmly contact the walls of the kerf, whereby capillary action will carry the liquid scent into the body of the block and from there to said surfaces for evaporation of the scent, and means for supporting the block.

3. A scent disseminator, comprising a block of balsa wood having its cross-sectional limits rectangular with a plurality of plane-surfaced exterior walls which comprise extended areas of evaporation surfaces, an open-topped chamber in the block, an open-topped vial adapted to contain scent, said vial being removably mounted entirely within and below the upper end of said chamber, a multiplicity of slot-like longitudinal kerfs each extending through one of said surfaces into the body of the block to a depth approaching the inner wall of thel chamber, a continuous wicking for each kerf extending through the liquid scent in said vial out of the open top thereof, each having a part removably held within the kerf, the width of each kerf and the diameter of the wicking for each kerf being such that each wicking is pinched between to firmly contact the walls of its kerf, whereby capillary action will carry the liquid scent through the set of wickings into the body of the block and from there to a plurality of said surfaces for evaporationl of the scent, and means for supporting the block upon a room wall.

HAROLD C. SMITH.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the iile of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 739,297 Dayton Sept. 22, 1903 1,178,167 McDonnell Apr. 4, 1916 1,753,544 Winchester Apr. 8, 1930 2,283,023 Bailey May 12, 1942 2,383,960 Dupuy Sept. 4, 1945 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 154,396 Great Britain Dec. 2, 1920 457,287 Great Britain Nov. 25, 1936 

